


Bad Habits

by OnlyFoxMulder



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst galore, Episode: s06e12 One Son, F/M, MSR, UST, alternating pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 04:34:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21155696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyFoxMulder/pseuds/OnlyFoxMulder
Summary: In the aftermath of their confrontation, Mulder catches Scully smoking. Things escalate from there.





	Bad Habits

**Author's Note:**

> I was watching Syzygy again recently and the image of Scully indulging in a cigarette got me thinking. At first, I was going to write something lighter, with less angst, but as I thought some more, it didn’t seem like Scully. So, I revised my original plan and went with something darker. One Son provided the perfect vehicle for this angst fest. 
> 
> I’m supposed to be working on my post-s11 series but when the muse takes ahold of me, it won’t let go. I wrote this in two hours, so I hope it’s okay.

She drove back to her apartment with the pedal to the floor, seething with residual fury. Tires screeched, rubber burned, she felt unhinged.

This was, without a doubt, the angriest she’d ever been with Mulder. It settled in the pit of her stomach and coursed through her veins. She was certain that her skin would begin boiling any second.

_ How could this man not trust her? _

Trust. Everything came down to a matter of trust—something she assumed they had in spades before tonight… before he chose to side with Diana. It sounded childish to her own ears but it’s how she felt: hurt by the one person she thought would never betray her in this way. He knew how much she relied on his trust; this partnership wouldn’t work otherwise. And now, he severed her faith in him. 

She choked back the lump in my throat. _ No. No crying, Dana. _He doesn’t deserve her tears. Not tonight. What she needed was time away from him to regroup and unwind. 

Pulling into the parking lot of her building, she hastily hunted for her purse. In doing so, a half-empty pack of cigarettes fell to the floor in offering. Huh. Maybe the universe was sending her a sign. 

Leaning against the hood of her sedan, she flicked the lighter, anticipation building. She quit smoking shortly after college but once in a while, when the stress was too much to bear, she allowed herself the indulgence. 

The calming sensation was instantaneous; her limbs automatically relaxed as she inhaled the thick smoke into her lungs. As a scientist and medical doctor, she should be deeply ashamed of such a weakness. She could easily find another vice to satisfy her needs. Sex, food, exercise; all three alternates more favorable than nicotine.

Tilting her head back, she scanned the clear night sky, inky-black and glittering with stars. She located the big dipper as she took another long drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air. 

Just when she managed to melt the tension away, a snicker penetrated the stillness around her. 

* * *

There she was, lounging on the hood of her car. Her black, skin-tight turtleneck riding up to her bellybutton, revealing a strip of creamy white skin. A pinpoint of silver glinted in the moonlight—a belly ring. Dana Scully had her bellybutton pierced.

Oh fuck.

Mulder shook off the momentary shock and tingling arousal in his groin, reminding himself that they had bigger fish to fry. One of those fish being the glowing cancer stick dangling from her pretty pink lips. 

“That’s a terrible habit, Scully. Wouldn’t want to turn out like our old pal smoky,” he announced his presence, stopping a few feet before her.

She looked up, eyebrow raised. “Watch out, Mulder_ , _ we wouldn’t want to get too _ personal _ now, would ya?” 

Okay. She was still pissed, that much was clear. Her words oozed sarcasm and contempt, something he rarely heard from her. 

He took another step forward. “I didn’t come here to fight, Scully.”

A cloud filled the space between them as she released another stream of smoke.

“Oh no? What _ did _you come here for?” she sneered, flicking the cigarette on the pavement and stomping it out with her heel.

That was a good question. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to follow her out of the Gunmen’s lair after her outburst. Forcing him to pick a side was a bit too high school for his taste and he couldn’t help but respond in kind. 

He shrugged. “To talk-”

“_Talk? _You wanna talk, Mulder? Hash this out? Go ahead, I’m listening,” she interrupted, hands on hips. 

He didn’t know how to begin. Some part of him understood why she was so furious: her trust had been broken. Even though he made this connection, misguided loyalty to Diana triggered his defense mechanism. 

“Okay then, I’ll start…”

* * *

If she didn't love him so much, she wouldn’t be giving this conversation the time of day. If she didn’t treasure their friendship, she would have hopped in her car and left before he uttered a single syllable.

But she did love him. Beyond all reason and common sense. That must be why the ache in her chest threatened to overflow. 

_ How could he trust Diana? _

“I handed you proof—evidence of Diana’s lies. I found no record of her so-called ‘foreign counterterrorism efforts’ with the FBI. Not one. Yet, you refuse to read between the lines. Then, I attempt to show you flight manifests proving her trips to visit European MUFON groups,” she paused, imploring him to hear what she was saying. “And yet, you still don’t believe me… or trust me.”

“I trust-”

She lost control of her voice. “No! You don’t trust me. We wouldn’t be standing here if you had any faith in me,” she took a tremulous breath, traitorous tears burning behind her eyelids. 

“I’m tired, Mulder, tired of feeling second best. Six years together and nothing has changed. I’m a doctor, a scientist. I base my theories and hunches in fact, not emotional standing. Diana Fowley does not have your best interest heart… not anymore.” He chewed his lower lip, hands in his pockets. “It’s your choice—whether you want to see the truth or hide behind a mask of ignorance. Just know, in making your decision, you’ll make one for me as well.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” 

She sighed in resignation. “I told you earlier: without the FBI, personal interest is the only reason I have left for working here with you. Take that away from me, I’ll have to walk away.”

He staggered, hand cradling his stomach as if he was physically punched by her warning. She was having the same reaction. Her stomach was in knots.

“You would really just give up?” 

She answered without skipping a beat. “Yes.”

* * *

He fought to reign in the tears threatening to escape. His worst fear was manifesting right before him: Scully finally had enough of his shit, and she was leaving. 

Despite himself, he couldn’t control his bitter response. “You would do that to me? To us?”

She snorted. “Us, Mulder? Since when are we an _ us? _I thought you wanted to keep things professional.”

Only to protect his fragile ego and shattered heart. Professional was the last thing on his mind when it came to Scully… even now, his heart wanted nothing more than to scoop her up in his arms and never let go. 

He needed to steer this conversation elsewhere, pull them back from the brink of collapse. Their relationship had survived numerous hurdles and they would endure this latest obstacle. 

Invading her space, he tipped her chin up with his index finger. The moisture swimming in her ocean-blue eyes gave him the smallest shred of hope; the sorrow he saw, hidden behind her veil of anger, revealed another piece of the impossible puzzle they’d been trying to assemble since their first meeting. 

“You’re my partner, Scully. If you truly believed I don’t respect or value your contribution to our work, wouldn’t you think I would’ve requested a new partner? You were correct when you claimed nothing had changed during our years together.” She recoiled, much like he had just done a minute earlier. “I never expected you to change, Scully. I’m sorry if I made it seem that way.”

The velvety soft texture of her skin felt like silk as he glided the pad of his thumb across her pale cheeks, the sprinkling of freckles peaking through the thin layer of makeup she wore. To his astonishment, she leaned into his touch.

Then she whispered: “That doesn’t explain why you’re choosing to disregard direct evidence contradicting Diana’s story…”

“We have history,” he said, still stroking her cheek. “But our history doesn’t mean my present and potential future with you is any less important to me. You’re more important than Diana ever was, Scully. I need you to hear me and comprehend what I’m saying here because our partnership depends on it.”

She offered him a clipped nod but didn’t speak. 

The silence hung in the air, the distant whine of emergency vehicles the only detectable sound. Standing there in the darkness with the scent of tobacco lingering between them, he kissed her. 

* * *

Alarm bells rang inside her head, screaming for attention. This shouldn’t be happening. Not now.

She froze the second his warm breath caressed her lips, unwilling to break the connection but unable to regain control. The functioning part of her brain told her to push him away. After the fight they just had, kissing probably wasn’t the best course of action.

Instead of listening to her inner voice of reason, she started to kiss him back, lips parting against his and tasting the desperation on his tongue.

He backed her against the car, hands exploring the curve of her hips and waist. Up and down, warming her instantly. In doing so, her shirt rode up and exposed her skin to the chilled metal. She moaned at the contact, inadvertently intensified the kiss, allowing him to sneak his tongue passed her lips. Her knees buckled.

Luckily, Mulder was two steps ahead and held her steady, fingers gripping her waist. 

_ What were they doing? _

Palm to his chest, she nudged him away, the sound of heavy breathing echoing through the empty parking lot. 

She was ready to dismiss their momentary lapse in judgement and write it off as a mistake. The affection and respect reflected in his eyes put a wrench in her plans. Her next decision was reckless, a side of her that she rarely set free. 

The kiss was hungry, almost brutal. This time, she was the instigator, wrapping her arms around his neck and devouring his mouth as if she were starving for him. Maybe she was; that wouldn’t come as a shock. They’d been headed down this path since day one; it was only a matter of time. 

Stuck in her own head, she didn’t notice his fingers toying with the newly uncovered piercing he discovered. He tugged on it gently and she shivered.

He broke the kiss. “When the hell did you get this, Scully?” 

“College.” 

“Scully,” he breathed, sounding like he had the wind knocked out of him. “Would it offend you if I told you how fucking hot that is?”

She laughed, this time in amusement rather than sarcasm. “No.”

Lowering his mouth to her jaw, he placed a series of quick kisses down the column of her neck until he reached the curve of her shoulder. His teeth sunk into the delicate skin, eyes fluttering closed as his tongue trailed the ridges and valleys of her collarbone. He unbuttoned her pants, easily slipping them down her thighs. 

“We can’t do this here… were outside. Anyone can-”

In a flash, he reversed her position; her belly flush against the driver’s side window. His voice was rough in her ear. “Nobody can see us… the wall of your building is blocking the view.”

His hand slipped inside her silk panties, gasping when he found her wet and swollen for him. Her hips rocked reflexively, guiding his fingers closer to his prize. 

“Tell me to stop and I will. Say the word.” His index finger brushed her entrance, eliciting a high-pitched whine from deep in her throat. 

In her weakened state, her vocal cords were suddenly paralyzed, unable to speak. With her left hand, she reached down and grasped his forearm in consent. Beads of sweat formed on her brow and her vision clouded, inner walls clenching with anticipation. 

Just as his fingers were about to complete their journey, the slam of a door and faint chatter from across the lot interrupted them. In seconds, she twisted around and worked to button her pants at the same time.

“Fuck.”

“I told you someone would see us.” She glared at him. 

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, plucking a few stray hairs from her sweaty forehead. “It’s dark and I’m tall. They didn’t see anything good.”

“We still need to talk, Mulder. I don’t regret… _ this _,” she waved her hand between their bodies. “But we need to cool off and discuss where we go from here.”

He smirked. “I was thinking your apartment.”

He was such a dork. Still flushed and shaky from their activities, she started walking towards her building, looking back at him expectantly. “Well, come on then, I’m starving.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well… that’s that it guess. For the record, I intended this to be much darker than it turned out. I just couldn’t write angry sex in this context. Then I decided not to include sex at all other than some mild teasing. Maybe I’ll update with another chapter in the future if anyone wants to see more. I just didn’t have it in me this time around. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
